Window-curtain control



y 1930. J. F. CURRIVAN 1,753,220

WINDOW CURTAIN CONTROL Filed April 21, 1928 v6 Ti 410121717 C'uirrj van-1 Patented May 13, 1930 Form rnanois coRRIvnN, or MILTO'N, amendment-rs WINDOW-CURTAIN ooiwlrnon Application filed *Aprn' e1,

The'control of rear windowglare by the manipulation of the-usual curtain f'rom the drivers seat has been long contemplated-and various meansproposed. Most of these have '5 been elaborate arrangements and have not come into an "generar ublie use apparently asinvolving 'too much trouble in installation or too niuch expense.

' The --problem is really one of supplyinga 'cheapand eiiieint means by which the average car may bemadeself-protecting. Th'a't'is to sayfthe' requirement is for a sii'nple device which will have a ae ia and positive action so that the curtain can be raised 'orloweretl atwill'to protect the driver from the glare of following'headlights or' to give rear vision in backin'g'up oratother times whenitis imperative that the'driver' should look behind.

'I have therefore de'altwith this problem on a basis Which fpro'vides 'fon'an inexpensive equipment readily installed f and which if adopted by even an averageportion of motorists will 'reducethe number of accidents due L which are well recognized factors in accidents. g i

The real problem as sensed by me has been to provide such simple apparatus and yet have it operable by the driverwithout requiring an act which would interfere with his control of the car. This seems to have been one of the difliculties with previous devices. Thedriver has usually been compelled to go through a series of motions which distracted his attention and took so much time that there was opportunity for the very disaster that he was trying to avoid.

My invention contemplates an operation which is practically instantaneous and does not require the attention of the operator but may be performed by a single movement of;

the hand without the necessity of even having the driver divert his attention from the road. The solution of this problem is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, as follows: V

In Fig. l I have diagrammatically illustrated a characteristic hookup.

Fig. 2 shows a detail equipment of the same.

Fig. 3 a lever control for the same.

1828. Serial No. 271 810.

to the glare or the drawn curtain, both of fFigAc-a (letailof'differential control.

Fig. 51a modifi'catientfthe saiiiefaiid Fig. 6 a-sectional view of a. substituteiorin of d rivers control. y

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 Ihave indicated diagrammatically arear window as at'l equipped with a rear curtain 2 on a. roll er on I have deliberately illustrate'dthis"roller as positioned at the bottomofthe window'l as thisI believe to'be'the'logicallposition, although the roller generally 5 is positioned at the top of the Window. The positionof the.

roller is immaterial as the only diiferencedn control between; one position and the other is thatof pulley 'arrangement.

v As aicontrolling mediuml provide a cord or wire which runs over a pair of Window pulleys as at 5 and a cornertpulley as at 6.

When the equipment is-put on as an accessory these cords or pu lleys-are exposed butthey can, of course, be built lnto the car and-contcealed beneath the upholstery where such equipment is madestandard.

V I he control line 4 --is interrupted at any s,"

convenient point oneiportion being attached to and spooling uponthe largerdrum 7 of a diffierential pulley and theother portion of the line 4 being attaeh edeto the smaller drum 7 of suoh aYpulleyandsoearranged to wind L and unwind with any "desiredratioaccording to the relative d ametersofthe-two drums. v

I am able'inthis way'to reduce the hand movement-ofthe-driver-to *aminimumso that in asingle short motion he can give a com- ,pletepull to the curtain even thou gh the rear window be of max mum size. Such rear windows dovary insizeconsiderably but my device is proportioned to take care ofthe maximum.

i i l iif r The position generally recognized as most deslrable-for the drivers control is one easily reached by the left"hantl wlienseated at the wheel. This may be on the-dash as'hereto- Jiore suggested or may be very convenient-1y 1 positioned us tjabo've the drivers head, as for exampl'ajust abovethe door at the drivers left. 'For suchfalpositio'n I have devised a very "simple and lpositive" operating device. This consisteda'iever'sjpivotu in a bra'kt L 8 soas'to have ahori'zcntal frontandrear swing. The cord 4 maybe adjustably attached as at 8 to accommodate variations in the height of the rear window. The horizontal swing of the lever 8 moves it in a path that is clear ofthe door and convenient to the driver. Only a short lever is required as the effective pull'on the cord 4 is double that of the lever and with the advantage of the differential connection 7 the maximum rear window is easily served.

.I preferably provide a tubular well 9 and carry the cord forward with a weight W on its end which works free in the jwell 9. Asa modification of this arrangement I have shown in'Fig. 2 a very inexpensive structure in which I have provided a ring 10 on the line 4 and a series of hooks 11 with which the ring can be engaged; '5 1 As a furthermodification of the drivers adjusting means I have shownin Fig. 4 a reel 12. This is preferably mountedon a base 12 on the outer face of which are a series ofrecesses 12 The reel is provided with a handle 13 normallyurged inward by a" spring 14- and the whole assembled on a single screw 15; g p r j I The differential pulley '7 is shown in Fig. 4: in its simplest form but is obviously capable of variation as indicated in Fig. 5. In this I have shown the 'largepulley 16 geared through 17 to a large gear 18 carrying a small ,pulley 19. This is a-morejexpensive confurther limit the struction but is capableof giving a wider range of differential where the proportionsof the car require it or whereit is desired to still motion required of the driver.

'I have illustrated thesevarious-formsof control asindicating therange made possible by the use of my differential. Other variations and modifications will'be obvious to those skilled in the art. i

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: V

1. In combination with the back window curtain of an automobile, a front seat control therefor comprising an in'terruptedpull cord system, a differential winding and unwinding drum pair interposed between the parts of the pull cord to give a maximum curtain movement with a minimum movement of the pull'cord at the frontlseat, a takeup' weight on the end of the pull cord, a tubular well for slidably receiving said weight, and means adjacent the drivers seat for adjustably controlling the cord.

rearward movement and having the cord attached adjacent its free end, a takeup weight on the end of the pull cord, a tubular well for slidably receiving said weight, and means adjacent the drivers seat for adj ustably controlling the cord.

3. In combination with a back window curtain of an automobile, a front seat control therefor, comprising an interrupted pullcord system, means interposed between the partsof said pull cord to give maximum curtain movement with a minimum movement of the pull cord parts to give a maximum curtain movement with a minimum movement of the pull cord at the front seat, meansfor operating said cord adjacent the drivers seatand takeup means for said cord.

5. In combination with a back window curtain of an automobile, a front seat control therefor comprising an interrupted pull cord system,:means associated with said system 7 to give a maximum-curtain movement witha minimum movement of the pull cord at the front seat, and means for operating said cord adjacent the drivers seat.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN FRANCIS OURRIVAN. 1

2. In combination with the back window curtain of an automobile, a front seat control therefor comprising an interrupted pull cord system, a differential winding and unwinding drum pair interposed between the parts of the pull cord to give a maximum curtain movement with a minimum movement of the pull cord at the front seat, and a leverpivoted adjacent the drivers seat for forward and 

